Haj Minister Visits Family of Maros Pilgrim Who Died in Holy Land

Makassar (ANTARA) - Minister of Haj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf visited the family of the late Sangkala, a pilgrim from Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, who died while performing the Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The visit took place at the family home in Bori Kamase Village, Maros Baru District, Maros, on Sunday. During the occasion, Gus Irfan expressed his condolences and offered support to the bereaved family. “The government’s presence among the families of pilgrims who have passed away is a form of respect as well as the state’s moral responsibility to the guests of Allah who die while performing the Haj,” he said. Sangkala was a pilgrim from flight group (Kloter) 20 who died on Saturday (6/6) at 14:24 Saudi Arabia time. During the condolence visit, the Haj Minister was accompanied by Maros Regent Chaidir Syam, Head of the South Sulawesi Regional Office of the Ministry of Haj and Umrah Ikbal Ismail, and Head of the Maros Office of the Ministry of Haj and Umrah Ahmad Ihyadin. Irfan Yusuf stated he had instructed all heads of Haj offices across Indonesia to convey condolences to the families of pilgrims who die in the Holy Land. During the visit, Gus Irfan also provided an update on the 2026 Haj pilgrimage operations. Based on the latest reports he received, the number of Indonesian pilgrims who have died in Saudi Arabia has reached approximately 290 people. Although this figure is still lower than last year’s Haj season, authorities remain on high alert as the death trend in recent days has shown an increase. “We remain vigilant because the numbers have risen in the last few days,” he said. The government, he added, continues to monitor the health conditions of pilgrims still in Saudi Arabia. All medical personnel and Haj officers have been asked to tighten supervision, especially amid the extreme heat affecting several regions. Air temperatures reaching around 45 degrees Celsius are considered potentially triggering health problems, particularly for elderly pilgrims or those with comorbidities. “Pilgrims must be continuously monitored and their health maintained because the temperature in Saudi Arabia is very hot,” he said. Meanwhile, the repatriation process of Indonesian Haj pilgrims to the homeland continues. To date, nearly half of the Indonesian Haj pilgrims have returned to Indonesia, while the remainder will be repatriated in stages according to schedule. Separately, Head of the Maros Office of the Ministry of Haj and Umrah Ahmad Ihyadin revealed that the deceased, Sangkala, had a history of lung problems before departing for the Holy Land. The late pilgrim’s health condition had reportedly been a concern since the journey to Saudi Arabia. In fact, two days before his death, his health had declined and he experienced a loss of appetite. Despite this, the deceased continued to receive support and encouragement from the group as he was scheduled to return to Maros on 15 June 2026.